Saveur Cooks Authentic American - Editors Of Cook's Illustrated Magazine [25]
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small carrot, minced
½ medium onion, minced
½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
1 28-oz. can peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, undrained and puréed Kosher salt, to taste
1 lb. bucatini or spaghetti
1¼ cups grated Pecorino Romano
Serves 4
1. Heat oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale; cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes. Add pepper; cook, stirring often, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Increase heat to medium-high; add garlic, carrots, and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add chile flakes; cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato purée, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and flavors meld, 20–25 minutes. Season with salt; keep warm.
2. Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente, 6–8 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water; drain pasta. Heat reserved sauce over medium heat. Add pasta and reserved water; cook, tossing, until sauce clings to pasta, 2–3 minutes. Add ½ cup Pecorino Romano; toss. Divide between serving bowls; serve with remaining Pecorino Romano.
Secret Ingredient
Cured pork jowl, known as guanciale, is an essential component of many Roman pasta dishes, including spaghetti alla carbonara and bucatini all’amatriciana. But it can also be sautéed with vegetables, added to stewed fava beans, or cooked with meat or fish so that its fragrant fat renders out and suffuses the dish. Usually sold whole, guanciale has a flavor that is less salty but stronger and fattier than its cousin pancetta—Italian salt-cured pork belly—and a texture that’s somewhat softer. While guanciale, which can be cured with everything from black pepper to spices, is traditionally unsmoked, smoked versions are popular nowadays in Rome. Smoked guanciale isn’t readily available in the United States, but Mauro Trabalza, the chef at Sora Lella, a restaurant in Rome that has an outpost in New York City, recommends a mixture of three parts regular guanciale or pancetta to one part bacon to approximate the flavor of smoked guanciale.
Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
You can use any kind of cooked or cured ham for this luscious mac and cheese, which has a pleasingly tangy edge thanks to the addition of a little blue cheese. Black Forest ham, for example, will add a note of subtle sweetness, while country ham will provide an earthy, deeply savory flavor and a slightly chewy texture.
11 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted Kosher salt, to taste
12 oz. pasta, such as rigatoni
2 slices crustless white bread
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1 small onion, minced
½ cup flour
3 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
12 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz. cooked ham (any variety will do), roughly chopped
3 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
½ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp. hot sauce, such as Tabasco
4 scallions, minced
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
Serves 8–10
1. Grease a 2-qt. baking dish with 1 tbsp. melted butter and set aside. Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, rinse, and set aside. Pulse the bread in a food processor until finely ground, mix with 4 tbsp. butter, and set aside.
2. Heat the oven to 400°F. Melt the remaining butter in a 6-qt. pot over medium heat. Add the thyme and onions and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cream. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, whisking, until thick, 10–12 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar, ham, blue cheese, parsley, hot sauce, scallions, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and season with salt as needed. Stir in the pasta, transfer to the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 30–40 minutes.
COOKING NOTE There are a few tried-and-true secrets to making macaroni and cheese with the perfect creamy texture. You need